FEAREFVL NEVVES Of Thunder and Lightning with the terrible effects thereof which Almighty God sent on a place called Oluestone in the county of Glocester the 28. of Nouember last Hauing prefixt before it a short discourse concerning two other admirable accidents that soone after ensued Truely related by P. S. And dedicated vnto the Kings most excellent Maiestie AT LONDON Printed by G. Eld for Frauncis Burton 1606. To the most puissant potent and Maiestious my dread Soueraigne Iames by the grace of God of great Britaine France and Ireland King defendor of the Faith the Great-Commaunder of the West and North-west parts of the World Grace and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ vnto all happinesse in this life godlinesse and righteousnesse and in the life to come immortality and glorie MOst puissant King my dread and deare Soueraigne in most humble and submisse manner I your highnesse most duetifull and loyall Subiect do herein present vnto your excellent Maiesty the true report of a most fearefull accident which Almighty God the King of kings and Lord of Lords sent among vs your Highnesse poore subiects at Oluestone in the county of Glocester on Thursday beeing the 28. of Nouember last whereof I your Maiesties said subiect was both an eare and an eye witnesse The powerfull and admirable workes of God are for none more fit and profitable then for the Kings of the earth whom the God of heauen hath substituted next vnder himselfe to order and rule the seuerall societies of men in promoting piety and preseruing iustice forasmuch as next vnto the word and the appendances thereof the most effectuall meanes nothing doth or can more effectually frame or hauing framed can more constantly continue them in the manage and performance of all kingly duties then the serious and often meditation of Gods wonderful workes in the whole frame of the world the seuerall parts and portions of it For as hystories which are the remembrances of time and successes in time are for all men meete and commodious but especially for Kings Potentates and great personages their volumes beeing therefore well denominated and called theirs Principum bonorum et heroum libri good Kings and great councellers bookes so the large volume of Gods workes are open and set before all but for none so fit and profitable as for their Maiesties that represent vnto vs the maiestie and power of almighty God That as the beames of Gods glory shine in them more then in others so they before and more then others should amire and reuerence the beames of his glory and greatnes in heauen and earth that hath made them so glorious and great on earth And if the knowledge of all the great and admirable workes of God be so necessary for all Kings then the seuerall euents and successes that wonderfully and extraordinarily fall our come to passe in their seuerall territories and kingdomes are in no sorte to be neglected but so much the more to be remembred and reuerenced as God hath therein come more neerer vnto thē then vnto others kings hath as it were spoken first and more particularly vnto them that thereof they might make first most especially vnto themselues a heauenly and christianly vse humbly and heartily to commit and commend themselues and their estates to his ouerswaying and all ruling prouidence That beareth rule ouer the kingdomes of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will Dan. 4.29 And being thus deuoted personally they may with all deuotion and care according to the trust committed vnto them order and direct all their subiects in the feare of the Lord Who according to his will worketh in the armie of heauen Dan. 4.32 and the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what doest thou Whereby both King and Subiect may know and serue him in whose hand is their breath Dan. 5.23 and all their wayes Wherein forasmuch my deere Soueraigne I speake it withall reuerence of your excellent Maiesty as the best Kings haue and do sometimes shew themselues forgetfull it were to be wisht 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Georg. Codinus de efficial palatii Con. vulgo Cuciopal the like of that old honourable office Of a Kings remembrancer were renued and restored not so much to minde them of mens actions and exploites that haue worthily or valiantly behaued or carried themselues in peace or in warre that so they might receiue deserued honour and recompence as often and againe to put them in minde of Gods great and wonderfull workes that his Maiestie might haue his due praise and glory neuer sufficiently to be remembred But sith there is no such particular office which was Functio optime instituta male exercita possime abolita well ordained ill ordered and most wretchedly abolisht F. Iunij not in Curopalatem pag. 313. and that kings are left to be remembrancers vnto themselues as of many other things so of the wonderfull workes of GOD abroad or at home and that it doeth so highly concerne your highnesse to make a good vse of what hath so extraordinarily succeeded within your Maiesties owns kingdome which is not possible without direct notice I haue therefore thought it very dutifull in the dutifullest manner to make knowne to your Highnesse and vnder your Highnesse gracious approbation to all your Maiesties subiects what hath so wonderfully and admirably falne out the time and place forementioned Prefixing a remembrance but in briefe of two other memorable and most famous spectacles which within the space of forty dayes haue likewise beene to the admiration of the whole land I wish also with the like commemoration and praise of the Almighty power and neuer fayling goodnesse of our most gratious and mercifull God Who for Christ his sake protect and preserue your Highnesse the Queenes Maiesly the yong Prince and all your Highnesse royall offpring and issue all your Maiesties kingdomes dominions and faithfu◠subiects from the entrage of Satan and all his limmes specially from the bloody attempts of all Antichrists brood most particularly from the desperate villanies of all shorelings shauelings and Iesuites this ages as they are truely called King-killers long to raigne ouer vs to the glory of Almightie God and the ioy and comfort of all faithfull and true hearted Subiects Your Highnesse most humble and most loyall subiect P. S. FEAREFVL NEWES THrée thinges there are which in this I le within the space of 40. daies haue very extraordinarily and wonderfully succéeded that deserue likewise more then ordinary remembrance Of the first withal others that had an vse of their eye sight I was for many nights togither an ey-witnesse but not without great wonderment Of the second I was onely an ear-witnesse and that with great thankfulnesse Of the last I was both an eare an eye-witnesse with great astonishment séeing and hearing the terrible lightning and thunder and an admirable effect of them both
foole onely looking foorth right and to that which is before his feete not comparing times past with the present and both these with that which is to come thereby to prouide for his owne good and preuent his owne harme which if we wil do with wisdome and circumspection in this case of Iesus Christs most profest and our heauy enemies the Papists we may eastly coniecture what their future and after behauiour will be by their former and present cruell and Caniballike carriage If a she Beare robd of her whelpes or a hungry woulfe will not prey on the silly Lambe she meeteth in her way then may we trust the Popish crewe and suffer them to continue and range vp and downe among vs. The shee woulfe of Rome hath had heretofore and now for their treasons is like to haue such a losse of her whelpes whether she and hers yet liuing will not seeke reuenge I will not make question least I should séeme to doubt whether a Woulfe be a Woulfe and Rome the same to day that it was yesterday Reuel 17.9 for certenly so long as she piercheth on seauen hills she will either ouercrowe the Kings of the earth or séeke to plucke their Crownes from their heads And what she doth shee will teach all her broode Reuel 17.16.17.18 Reuel 18.6 Reuel 18.6 eDut 13.1 and chickens to doe vntill the Kings of the earth according to Gods fore councell and iustice and according to his command in that behalfe ioyne together and execute the wrath of God vpon her and her adherents Which if almighty God command them to doe in the head I desire to know what they ought to do in the members Euery profest idolater by the lawe of God is to dye but the Papists are profest Idolaters the assumption or minor proposition will be doubted of I will not therefore conclude till I haue strengthened and confirmed it knitting it vp after this sort If Papists be the grosest idolaters that euer were then idolaters but the former is as true as the seuen hild citty is the seat of Antichrist ergo the latter as she shall certenly be burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God that will do it The antecedent will not bee graunted mee for the consequent S. Iohn warranteth me I therefore fortifie it thus All they that worship so base a thing a◠a peece of bread for the maker of heauen and earth idle Pictures rusty nailes rotten timber and olde ragges are the grosest Idolaters that euer were but the Papists doe all these therefore they are the grosest Idolaters that euer were And now I conclude Papists ought by the law of God to die But me seemeth I see some man steppe forth now I haue concluded pleading for Idolatry and Papistry denying my proposition the groundsell of all and yet me thinketh it cannot stand faster then on the eternall and vnalterable word of God But sayth he it is one of Moyses iudicialls Is it indeed Moyses and not Almighty Gods He reioyneth therefore yes and those Iudicialls were temporary and for the state of the Iewes and taken away by the appearing of Christ To this reioinder I adioyne that Christ sayth no such thing but that he came not to take away the law but to fulfil the law He came to destroy and take away the works of darkenes not to make a way for the workes of darkenes which he must needs doe if he should either take the sword out of the Magistrates hands or giue it in his hand there to suffer it rust in the sheath and not draw it forth against offendors And I pray you in good part against whō should he vse it if not against Idolaters the greatest notoriest Traytors against God and his glory that the earth yeeldeth Shall Kings draw the sword which the Lord hath put in their hands and that most iustly for the cutting off of them that complot treasons against their owne persons and shall they be lesse zealous in the Lords cause then in their owne But what speake I of the Lords cause onely when in this case of the Papists there is a double treason first against God by their idolatry next against the King by their disloyalty This latter I affirme confirme it thus Whosoeuer holdeth the Popes supremacie is a Traytor to the King but all Papists hold the Popes supremacie My assumption will heere againe be baited at I will therfore bar it thus If euery Christian haue his name for that in trueth he acknowledgeth Christ his head then euery Papista Papist hath his name from Papa the Pope for that he acknowledgeth him his head but the former is true therefore the latter So that if once I beare him say he is a Papist I can truely say by and by he is a traytor But wée will haue a shift for this he is no Papist if there be such danger in the notation of the name but a Catholicke I promise you it is now well amended as one washing off the filth of his face with inke From whence I pray you cometh this name what soundeth it After this sort whosoeuer holdeth the Popes supremacie is a traitor euery Catholick holdeth the Popes supremacie my assumption neede here no more words for this very name selleth me that he holdeth the vniuersality of the church of Rome and so the vniuersall authoritie of the Pope of Rome And this will alwayes be the keeping of the dirige a Papist a catholick a traytor a traytor But it may be our language is harsh and barren giuing gracelesse names to gracious men will the smooth Latin lend vs a couple of names in steed of them to steed these men for I would saine tid my selfe of them What say you to Pontificius and Papicola will either of these better Papist or catholick Surely no neuer a barrell better hearing for when all commeth to all either hée must forget his Papistry or hee can neuer forgoe his treachery Notwithstanding al this if he wil continue a Papist and so his treason and so his double treason first against god next against the King what remaineth but the reward of a treator Yea but we cōdemne papistry of cruelty and what were this to execute all Papists first therefore we must know a difference betweene one that is foolishly Popish and that smacketh of the corrupt dregs of Rome and an other that hath drunken of the wine of her fornications péeuishly popish a peruerse papist a young Cubbe and an old Fox one that is créeping out of the shell and another that is fledge for when I speake of a Papist which instantly ecchoeth a traytor by and by calleth for a halter I meane such a one as is a true Papist a Catholick Pōtificius Papicola that hath the grounds is grounded in the fundamentall points of his rebellion I should say his religion for as sure as the Lord liueth if he be a resolute papist he is an absolute traytor to God
The two first I will not handle so amply because many others according to their places and giftes did with more deepe contemplation waigh the accidents themselues and with consideration can more effectually remember and deliuer them to the glory of God and the praise of his great power and mercy Of the latter I will God willing bée more large my place and profession requiring thereof in this kinde a more ample testimony then of any others present from the béeginning of the accident and action to the end thereof The first therefore worthy of admiration and so of commemoration was the streaming flaming burning of the heauens for many nights togither both before at and after the time that that horroble inhumane and more then butcherly treason the like whereof was neuer heard of among infidels should haue béene executed to the extinguishing of the light and taking away of the life of the whole state The heauens as it were taking a bloudy and firy impression and blushing as it were at those most bloudy attemptes of cursed Caitifes and of those furious flames which they most treacherously were kindling to the vtter ruinating of their deare couÌ„try and common wealth Which great worke of God although all did or might behold and see with wonderment yet who could or did know the ende thereof vntill in the ende the Lord himselfe made it knowne and open to the view of all men And now hauing opened it to all who is so blind as * F Iâ—sâ—phus in lib. de Iâ—â—aeâ— bel 7. cap. 12. he saith on the tokens that procéeded the taking and ouerture of Ierusalem neither hauing eies nor soule as not to see that God hath a singular care of mankind and doth euery where foreshew betime what is most expedient for them especially what care the Lord hath of Kings and kingdomes and of their regalty and royalty That the heauens doe euen take notice openly foreshewe and publikely bewray the horrible treacheries and conspiracies that shal be in earth and as it were vnder the earth in secret desperately complotted and contriued for the ouerthrowe and ruine of their high estate and soueraignety whereon dependeth as the life of the body on the head the wealth and happinesse of the whole common-wealth That he that seateth and vnseateth Kings at his pleasure should so watch ouer their persons and places and watch them that shall seeke by most vndutifull indignities to wrong their persons and places that where the earth cannot the heauens shall hold out a light and euen bring to light those cursed complots that are in obscurity most deuilishly hudled vp against the Crowne and dignity of the Lords annointed Is it admirable in the eies of al men almighty God should so woÌ„derfully tender the good of humane societies especially of their heads and gouernours that the heauens ouerspreding the earth should returne such a reflection of the actions done therein as not to suffer vnreuealed but publikely by flaming lights therein to giue a light to the search and finding out of that to their singular benefit whereof otherwise to their Imminent danger they are vtterly ignorant is this I say admirable in the eyes of all ought not euery one and shall not all both King and subiect Prince and people head and heart make a holy and happy vse of almighty Godâ— this so wonderfull and vnspeakeable goodnesse God forbid else The vse therefore béeing manifould I will heare drawe it to a double head generall particular The generall doeth generally call vpon all men that fith almighty God hath such a care of all head and body crowne and foote that hee hath and doth not onely inrich vs with infinit good thinges prossperity plenty peace and what not all which we are altogither vtterly vnworthy of but hath and doeth also dayly preuent and forestaie so many deserued euills reuerting them vpon their heads that are the instruments of ill all of vs therefore should from the highest to the lowest from his sacred Maiesty that fitteth on the Throne to the drawer of water and hewer of wood know and acknowledge with feare and reuerence the almighty presence and prouidence of our good God and alwaies to laud and praise him for his goodnesse And for that wée are all forgetfull and dull by nature each one according to his place and calling to prouoke and stirre vp on another with that of the prophet not for fashioÌ„ but with affection O come and let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of our saluation As this is the generall vse so the particular is double according to the double estate of men for each King hath his vse and euery Subiect his vse All Kings who acknowledge with reuerence for their soueraigne the King of Kings haue their vse of singular comfort and courage euer to behaue themselues Kingly not to congratulate this Estate or that person at any time by houering policie and hidyng piety considering the great founder and when it pleaseth him confounder of all Estates and persons doth ouer shadowe and shelter their thrones and kingdomes that so long as they serue him Iob. 5.23 and forward his commands their is no power there is no policy in earth or in hell that shall harme their Maiesties one hayre for all the powers of the heauens and of the earth are combined and confederated togither for the maintainaunce and vpholding of theyr thrones But if any shal so far forget their allegeance to the highest as to set themselues against his high commaunders on earth he himselfe from heauen will sight against them and cause all the rest of his creatures to crye out vpon them and to hale them on to due and most deserued execution As this is a kingly comfort and incouragement to kings in their godly gouernment so the second vse is loyall respecteth the subiects in their faithfull obedience to teach and continue them in loyalty and fidelity Is the King seated by the king of Kings in his throne hath the Lord himselfe thought him sit visibly to represent vnto thee his inuisible maiestie and wilt not thou in the Lord yeeld vnto him feare and reuerence or darest thou soe and worme of the earth whatsoeuer thou art lift vp I say not a sword in thy hand but a thought in thy heart against his sacred power and gouernment When the Lord himselfe saith This man and his posterity shall raigne ouer thee and the land of thy subiection and shall rule this Empire this I le these and these people and nations art thou sound or wilt thou onely be appeacht for a traytor not onely against the Crowne and dignity of thy earthly king who hath power of this thy life but against thy heauenly Soueraigne who hath power after thy head is taken from thy shoulders thy body vnbowelled and quartered and the parts of thy body imparted heere and there as an horrible and odious spectacle of thy disloyalty to
Sacrament I remembred not onely that couenant of God which it doth seale vnto but his other couenant made with vs in Christ whereby hée hath bound himselfe and that with an oath to be our God and wee euen as many of vs as by faith apprehend the force and fruit of it to be his people And that therefore though east and west north and south heauen and earth should bee iumbled and tumbled togither yet the anchor of our hope and happinesse being cast within the veale and founded on Christ the vnmoouable rock could not faile nor deceiue nor be deceiued With this or the like meditation I past from vnder the Canopy of the open heauens vnder the roofe of the house Where after a very little while being set at dinner the terrible darknesse that was in the North so gathered on the south that it became very darke considering the time of the day and the cléere light that was but a little before But the thick cloudes had indéed their burden wherof they hasted to be eased for down falleth with a boisterous winde a very plentifull haile which with the abundance for it was better then halfe a foot thick on the ground euery where after the tempest which lasted a quarter of an houre or there about and the winde made a very terrible rattle which was accompanied with fearefull flashes of lightning and some thrée or fower claps of more then ordinary thunder Whereof I tooke occasion of talke to the gentle woman of the house and her yong plants which being fiue sonnes with the sonne of a friend sat at table with vs to this effeâ—â— That the Atheists of the world and such as did not know acknowledge and feare God had great cause to be terrified and to tremble at such terrors of his but for such as did truely feare God they need not be appaled or dismaid at it considering they knowâ— it came from God their gratious father in Christ Iesus She replyed with a remembrance of the day of iudgement that if this then much more terrible would the daye of the Lord be vnto such as did not know God in Christ and in him had a feeling of his fatherly loue In the middest of our talke behold there flameth in a wonderfull flash of Lightning seconded with as horrible a report of extraordinary Thunder as I thinke any man liuing hath heard It was not as the manner is of thunder a ratling and rumbling noyse drawne in length but as if a thousand tun waight had falne from a loft vpon a loft able to indure the weight of it making a most inexplicable and vnspeakeable thumpe and hownce to them that are vnder it Such was the furious and fearefull report of this terrible clap of thunder wherewith according to the infirmity of this corrupt flesh I was toucht but not without assured hope in God vsing the words of the Psalme Powre out thy wrath O Lord vpon the heathen that know thee not and vpon the kingdomes that call not on thy name The table beeing taken vp and God for his mercies praised I betooke me euen vpon 12. a clocke to my schoole where finding my schollers amazed with what had euen then past I put them in mind of that I had spoken in the morning for with our morning prayer wee had the first Chapter to the Romanes read concerning the two means whereby God maketh himselfe knowne vnto the world his word and his workes According to the present occasion I vrged the second which I had that very day deliuered out of those words of the Apostle in the 20. verse for the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power Godhead are seene by the creation of the world béeing considered in his workes to the intent they should bee without excuse But in the midst of my spéech I heard the Belles knole extraordinarily and sending one forth to enquire the occasion he presently returned answer the Steeple was a fire So concluding abruptly and passing forth at doores I sawe it was no false report of a fained fire For behold the force of Gods terrible voice had shaken rifted and rent the Towre of stone whereon the Spier of Lead of a great height stood toward the West from the rest of the Battlement almost to the roofe of the Church And as it appeared afterward all the west end of the Church was likewise shaken which was so much the more to be wondred at as it beeing crusht in diuers places as a rotten apple it was onely so done within and no appearance of it without and of thrée great glasse Windowes that stand in that end not one of them hurt by it either in the Glasse or lights Albeit the wall were shaken both immediatly aboue and vnder them the stronger being hurt and the weaker scaping harmelesse So powerfull and prouident is Almighty God that he striketh and leaueth vnstriken where he will and whom he will that strength to him is weakenesse and weakenesse to him is strength And although this Thundring voyce of Almighty God did no where shewe so terrible an effect as on and in the Church yet without the Church in the Field and in the houses neere an extraordinary presence of his power not without his mercie was sensibly to bee perceiued by diuerse whom it cast one hither another thither and some downe but hurt neither man woman child nor any liuing creature els for ought that I haue heard As this was the effect of the terrible Thunder so his fearefull fire the lightning I meane had fiered the stéeple about thrée quarters of a yard beneath the foote of the barre whereon the weathercocke pearcht which fearefull fire considering the powerfull hand that had kindled it the matter whereon and the bellowes which did blowe it béeing at first a strong westerne wind how it did rage they may wel imagine that sawe it not which they may farther vnderstand by this that within the space of two houres it did deuoure consume melt and throwe downe al the timbers lead and irons that were from the top of the Stéeple being as I haue said of a great height to the towre of stone and in other thrée howres did burne to the ground melt and cast downe with an vnresistable force all the lofts timbers stockes and wheeles of fiue very tunenable but often abused bells The Clocke which before had notified pretious time calling on men as it were to take time and to take heede of the abuse of so excellent a treasure was likewise hereby silenced The Chancell through the flered timbers and firebrands which fell from the Steeple on the roofe of it was fiered and defaced As it was very probable the Church would haue bene also with the like had not the winde carried the rage of the fire so much on the Chancell which stood on the Eastside froÌ„ the church which is seated on the west But the fire it self did not much harme the church the most hurt